The College You Choose Is Important, But Not For The Reason You Think

Is going to community college better than Ivy League?

High school seniors across the country are currently applying to colleges, trying to figure out which school will be the best chance for future success. Some students, particularly those at the top of their class, will set their sights on prestigious institutions like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. After all, a degree from one of these amazing universities will more than pay for itself in the long run, right?

The reason behind this phenomenon has little to do with potential and more to do with perception.

No matter which school a student attends, there is a tendency to compare oneself to peers. When feelings of inadequacy set it, students begin to doubt their own abilities. Not performing at a high level then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for students at schools of all calibers.

But that has interesting implications for students scoring in lower percentiles at top-tier universities.

In order to qualify for admission into elite schools, these "low performing" students already out-perform nearly all students at less prestigious universities. That means, had they chosen a state-funded school, their likelihood of success is much greater.

So are elite schools actually worth it?

Whether or not an elite school is worth it at all is not so black and white. Elite schools have reputations that could open other job opportunities to students. Additionally, there could be other resources available that accentuate the learning process.

Ultimately, attitude is everything. And it appears that being at the top of the class does wonders for attitude.